Newbie - just found this site

[ch435]

Hello all. I just stumbled across this site. I just bought a 05 280 sundancer. Right now I'm trying to decide if I want to winterize myself, or pay a marina to do it. This boat has a lot more equipment than the 240 I just sold. Advice?

 

[comsnark]

Where is the boat going to be stored for the winter? That will influence the choices.

Some storage places won't give you a choice.

Call around. . you will get educated. It's not hard to figure it out.

For example, at the end of the first season I learned (by calling around) that I could actually store the boat at my house for a very low hauling fee. The first few years, I paid someone to winterize my fresh water system. After watching what they do, I now do it myself.

 

[Big Island Lifer]

Where are you located? Do you keep your boat at a marina or do you trailer? It might not be a bad idea to watch someone properly winterize the boat if you have never done it before- as suggested above. There all also many mobile services that can come out to your house and shrink wrap and winterize for you.

Hello all. I just stumbled across this site. I just bought a 05 280 sundancer. Right now I'm trying to decide if I want to winterize myself, or pay a marina to do it. This boat has a lot more equipment than the 240 I just sold. Advice?

 

[Quint4]

His location says Minnesota....kinda cold in the Winter. Be careful if you don't know what you are doing. Here is a quick list off the top of my head to give you an Idea of what I do to winterize my 290.


- Pour Stabilizer in fuel tank prior to last run of season (...to let it mix well with remaining fuel and make it's way to carb)
- Detach A/C water hose from seacock and pour RV antifreez in it with a funnel when A/C compressor kicks on...watch for pink from discharge from thru hull then shut it down.
- Run generator up to temp to open thermostat ...shut down....detach water inlet hose....place funnel in hose and pour in antifreez while you restart gennie... let run till antifreez discharges from thru hull...shut down. Remove sparkplug and spray in fogging oil to coat cylinder wall...replace plug.
- Drain freshwater tank and add 2-3 gallons of RV antifreez. Open each spigot individually until you see the pink stuff discharging then turn off the freshwater pump and crack each spigot open.
- Pump out waste tank and add a gallon RV antifreez to toilet....flush it to tank. Remove flushwater hose from seacock and funnel in some RV antifreez while pumping toilet to draw antifreez through hose to toilet.
- Change engine oil.
- Change outdrive gear lube.
- Run boat engine up to temp so thermostat opens....introduce antifreez to cooling water intake......draw in 4 gallons or so....observe antifreez discharging from outdrive then begin to spray fogging oil into carb throats until engine dies to coat cylinder walls (sometimes it will not die.....just shut if off after a good 15 seconds of spraying) I have a bilge heater so I do not worry about using this method, some say you may still have trapped water in engine but I have never had a problem.....it's your call.
- top off batteries with distilled water (I leave mine connected over the Winter, as I have a smart charger that will not overcharge them)
- I block my trailer to take weight off my tires for the Winter.

 

[OldSkool]

Welcome, How about some pictures? Use the search function for winterizing and it will pull up a bunch of info.

 

[Gunn]

Of course if I were you (and I hope to own a 280 before next spring!), I would do it all myself. Like the list that Quint4 posted, I've seen similiar lists posted here not too long ago that will help you out. There's a lot to do, but it's all easy basic DIY stuff that I'd rather save my money for something more fun than this. Plus, you'll learn a lot doing it yourself.

Tom

 

[ch435]

Wow! Thanks for all the quick replies!

Ya, I live in Minneapolis, it can get to -20F a few nights each winter. I plan to store it right next to my garage. I've got a nice paved pad there for it.

This is my 7th boat, plus I've had several campers, and I've always winterized them myself, but I've never had to deal with a generator or ac or vacu flush system. Those are the three that make me nervous.

One thing I noticed is that alot of people on here actually run the pink antifreeze into the engine block instead of just draining the block. Is that because it's easier or better?

 

[Banagy]

Use the -100 rv anti freeze just to be on the safe side for a few extra pennies. Welcome aboard.

 

[Daddubo]

I use regular antifreeze in the engine after draining the water out it helps reduce the rust, I take the thermostat out and pour it in that way. Then in the spring I drain it into the bilge and let it run in to a bucket and re use it the following winter. I also disconnect the hoses from the oil coolers and off the bottom of the water pump. I only use the pink stuff on the potable water it takes about 5 gals to run though all the lines.

 

[comsnark]

One thing I noticed is that alot of people on here actually run the pink antifreeze into the engine block instead of just draining the block. Is that because it's easier or better?

Well, I don't honestly know the full reasoning, but here in NJ my mechanic will also fill the engine with antifreeze as a last step of winterizing. He basically hooks drive muffs onto the outdrives that are hooked to a large tank of antifreeze on his truck. He then runs the engines until the pink stuff is coming out through the exhaust.

I suppose that ensures that all the water has been blown out of the engine and through the entire exhaust system.

 

[melisssaparker46]

I'm new here. Very nice forum. Very interesting for my hobby.

 

[rcknecht]

I put a hose connection between my raw water strainer and my AC raw water pump... I blow the AC out with compressed Air, it take 5 minutes... You can blow right by the pump and not hurt it... Not the same for the potable water pump... To answer your question, you can do it yourself. The generator you do by shutting off the raw water inlet, oppening the strainer, startingthe engine and then pour anti-freeze into the strainer from a bucket... You should only need about a gallon... (Assuming your generator is, like mine FWC). You can fog the gen through the carb or pull the plugs to fog... The engines you do just like you did with your smaller boats... Don't forget to pour antifreeze in you shower sump and your sinks... The water system is more involved, but it is easy, and there is a lot of discussion elsewhere on this site on how to winterize the water system... I blow mine out, most use antifreeze...

 

[comsnark]

Granted, I don't have a water heater, so winterizing the water system for me seems really easy: Drain the water tank (run the taps till empty!). Pour a few gallons of antifreeze. Run each connection till pink flows. Like Rod said: Don't forget the head and shower sump. I don't worry about the sinks -> since they all free drain overboard, and I have verfied they don't have sink traps which can freeze.